Blind Spot
by But I Have Promises To Keep
Summary: When Natara loses her vision in an accident, can Mal help her see with her heart? Cheesey summary, sorry.
1. Chapter 1

**Just as a note this is inspired by Skillet's song 'Whispers in the dark'. I highly recommend listening to it as you read.  
><strong>

"Watch it! Your losing him" cried Natara. She and Mal were in a squad car, chasing down a suspect in heavy traffic. Mal was driving, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. The vehicle they were chasing suddenly took a sharp turn, Mal following him. The vehicle grazed a nearby building, spinning it around and blocking the road. Mal tried to stop the car, but it was too late. The car T-boned the car, Mal's head slammed unto the recently deployed airbag. Natara wasn't so lucky. He airbag deployed, bouncing her head back and slamming it into the headrest. She felt something hot trickle down her neck and back, and her vision faded to black.

An hour later. She could feel that her eyes were open, but couldn't see anything. She could feel her eyelids slide over her eyes, but was lost in darkness. 'the lights must be broken' she thought 'surely nothing is wrong with my eyes'. But she knew this wasn't true. Her ears had already compensated for the loss. She could hear voices, quiet and soft. She heard paper moving, fabric rustling. The smell of anti-bacterial spray was all-too fresh, and she knew where she was. Through her injury, she was concerned for Mal. She'd yet to hear his voice, and the thought that she could be facing blindness alone scared her. 'You don't know your blind' she told herself, but knew this was a hopeless wish. Then she heard it, an angry whisper. Like an echo. Calling her name, telling someone to move out of the way. Hearing him breathing softly as he kneeled beside her, a vision she could only think of in her mind. She thought she was sitting in a chair, his beside her. Him taking her hand. She heard someone walk over, a man Natara guessed from the heavy footsteps. She heard the man speak, the words 'optic nerve damage' standing out. "Will she ever see again?" asked Mal, his voice semi-hopeful.  
>"We don't know" was the answer. He told him there wasn't anything they could do at this point, she had it in both eyes. Natara could feel hot tears roll down her cheeks, being born in her useless eyes. She could picture herself sitting and crying, her blind eyes glassy. Mal lead her through the hospital, holding her wrist. She knew when they were outside from the wind. He was leading her like a dog, and she had no choice to obey. Every step brought uncertainty. She hated it, she felt vulnerable, she couldn't see anything that was coming. She thought of her job, how with her newly acquired condition she would have no choice but to quit. Even if she got her vision back she doubted it would be perfect, and your vision had to be if you were with the FBI. Mal drove her home, she couldn't see with what car. She felt like a stupid little child as he helped her into the seat, and it was entirely in spite that she buckled herself even though she pinched her fingers several times. She knew they had stopped when the engine went silent, and Natara could her Mal pull the keys out and stuff them in his pocket. Natara quickly opened her door after grasping blindly for a handle for a moment. Edgar to show that this condition would not weaken her, she sprung out herself, temperarily unsteady on the ground as she stood. She began to blindly walk, something she knew wasn't smart because of other cars. She could hear them though, and knew they weren't close. "Natara get back here" commanded Mal, grabbing her shoulder to once again lead her. She jerked her shoulder out of his grip, she was not a helpless child. She walked what she thought was slightly ahead if him, and she knew he let her to maintain her pride. She knew he still kept an eye on her, that better her pride be damaged that another car-related injury. She knew this parking-lot well enough, and even though she didn't know where Mal parked she had an idea. She was surprised at how, how sounds came alive in her visions absence. She knew they were close to the building because of the hum of the air conditioning system. She knew the doors were near because she could hear the faint engine working when someone walked through their sliding glass. Her only fear was parked cars, and this made her keep her arms out in front of her. She thought how she must look odd, walking zombie-like through the parking lot of her long-term hotel. She slowed and let Mal almost guide her as they entered, allowing him to walk close enough that they were touching, so she forever was attached to him. She knew they entered the elevator so she wouldn't have to be either drug up the steps or crawl, and knew they entered by the sound of the engine. In a way, being blind brought on a whole new world. New sounds that before were to quiet to hear before, or simply sounds that she'd ignored over her other senses. She heard the chime meaning the doors were open, and took a few confident steps out. She froze, she'd never payed much attention which way her room was before. She'd always unconsciously walk out every morning, never thinking one day she'd have to recall this bit of basic information. Mal came up behind her, putting his hand over her shoulder and gently pushing her in the correct direction. She thought about the amount of trust it must take for her to trust him enough for this. She handed him her key from her pocket as he opened the door, and Natara confidently entered, figuring she should known the place well enough to not run into anything. How wrong she was. She hadn't even made it fully inside before she'd nearly tripped over the edge of her couch. Mal either didn't see it or didn't call attention to it. He grabbed her hand, a warm gesture not of control or guidance, but of comfort. Lightly tugging, Natara figured it must be night time because he lead her to what she thought was just in front of her bedroom. "Want me to stay?" he asked in a light whisper.<br>Natara nodded "If you want theirs pillows an blankets in the closet". She walked into her room, heard footsteps and guessed he had left. She got down on her knees, feeling around for blankets and pillows that had surely fallen to the floor. Finding what she assumed to be a blanket and pillow, she flopped down on the bed. 'How stupid is it' she thought 'that even though I can't see anything, I'm probably going to close my eyes to sleep'. She did close her eyes, and Mal reached one hand as he walked passed to the couch to turn out the light, even though she could not see it.


	2. Chapter 2

_"The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart"_  
><em>-Helen Keller<em>

Natara woke, hoping what had occurred yesterday had been a dream, a nightmare that faded at dawn. She opened her eyes, but all was still dark. Dread fell in her stomach like a weight in her very core. She was blind, and she may never get her vision back. She extended her hands at her sides, literally rolling out of bed and carefully standing up. She looked up, was she imagining it? No, she could see it. Faint shadows in her vision, colorless and deformed. The basic shape, as if she were in a very dark room. She held her arms out in front of her, stumbling to her living room. But now she could see somewhat where larger objects, like furniture, were. She heard a faint snarling noise, and walked to the sound. She felt her fingers brush her couch as she neared the source of the noise, and realized what it must be. Mal, snoring. She couldn't help smile in spite if herself. She heard her cell phone go off from the kitchen table. She heard Mal jerk awake as she slowly walked across the room, picking up the phone. She grappled for a moment, and heard Mal's footsteps near her. He took the phone from her hands, and she could hear his nervous breathing, he had obviously seen who it was and it obviously wast good. "Mal, I'm blind not deaf" she said angrily. He ignored her and heard him answer "Hello?". She waited for him, hearing him introduce himself as "Mal Fallon. Natara's friend". She thought it odd that he didn't say partner, of course he was her friend but still this seemed strange. "Okay, I'll-I'll tell her" he said, and she heard him close the phone. "Nat, come sit for a moment, I need to tell you something". Natara felt dread drop in her stomach. Who had that been? She was so lost in thought she allowed herself to be lead to the couch. "Natara that was your Chief, Chief Blair". Now she knew why he had said 'friend'. If Chief Blair had know her partner had answered her phone…he of all people knew what happened last time she'd been close to a co-worker. "Nat, he said if you don't get your vision back you can't be a profiler anymore. He said you know the vision requirements". She had known them, all along. That she would get this call eventually. Her dusty-looking eyes began to spill tears, and she felt Mal hug her and rub her back, awkwardly comforting her. She didn't know why she cried so much at this, possibly because it was the only thing her eyes were still good for. After a while she pulled away from Mal, trying to regain her composure. She felt his hand brush away a clump of hair from her cheek that was wet and stuck there with tears. "Ssshhhhh" he said "Your alright". But Natara knew, she wasn't alright. She would never be alright, she could barely she outlines of objects in her vision. She knew in her heart that it may get a little better over time, but she would never be able to go back to the FBI. She would never heal enough for that. "Tell you what" he said, and she knew from his tone he was trying to cheer her up "I'll go get some of that takeout chinese food you like. The one we had that one time we were undercover." Natara nodded, but didn't want him to go. She would never admit it, but she feared the unknown. That without her eyes she was practically defenseless. He left anyways, she had said nothing. As he left he started to say something that sounded like "Don't move" but stopped himself. Natara did move, not the smartest thing in the world. She paced like a tiger trapped in a cage, like a woman trapped in darkness. She was angry, it was like the FBI had betrayed her. She knew it wasn't their fault, that a blind person couldn't wield a gun, but she wanted someone to blame. She was frustrated, she was trapped in a world of darkness and couldn't get out. She didn't understand how Chief blare had said that, how could she control if she could see or not? In anger as she paced her hand brushed a glass vase her sister had given her. In her uncontrollable anger she swatted it, and heard it smash against the wall with a satisfying smash. "Nat?" she heard Mal's voice. She hadn't heard him come in. The smell of chinese food wafted through the room. "Nat are you all right?" she knew he had seen the vase, had maybe even seen her smash it. The next thing she knew she was crying into his shoulder again, hating herself for her weakness more with every tear. "Nat" he said, somewhat less-awkwardly patting her back "I'll always be here, know that." She nodded, but was unsure if he had even seen. Eventually he pulled away "I'm calling the hospital, there has to be something they can do." Natara nodded, once again trying to stifle her sobbing. As a child she'd always been afraid of the dark, but had gotten over it by knowing darkness went away with the sun. Now she had met a darkness that would never leave.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry very short. Shout out to mozzi-girl, I wasn't gonna finish this but now I will thanks to your comment! Thanks for giving me more work lol jk.**  
><strong>On with the story!<strong>

_"There is a condition worse than blindness, and that is, seeing something that isn't there."_

"Natara, know whatever happens I'm here" said Mal.  
>Natara sighed, this had to be the tenth time he said this. "I know Mal, but if there's even a chance I have to take it."<br>"I thought you hated hospitals." he said.  
>"I do" she said, turning her head warily around the waiting room where they sat, and Mal knew it was to better hear the different sounds "But I hate this even more".<br>"Just out of curiosity, why do you hate hospitals?" he asked, attempting to get her mind off the surgery she would soon get, which would soon determine if she would see again, or forever remain in darkness. Natara answered, but nervously drummed her fingers on her leg. "I was nine. I had appendicitis and they gave me a pain killer that it turns out I was allergic to. Wasn't a big deal, my face swell a little. But they made a huge deal about it and by the time they explained it to me I was about ready to write my will." Mal couldn't help but smile and Natara could hear the little breath that everyone made when they smiled, and couldn't help but return it. Eventually a young doctor came out, "Natara Williams?" she asked. Natara got up, her head down as if she were walking to the gallows as she followed her voice. "Dr. Patil" she said, going as if to shake Natara's hand. She seemed to remember Natara couldn't see and dropped her hand, blushing. "Right this way please".  
>"Nat" called Mal, as Natara began to walk away. "Remember…"<br>"I know, I know" she said wearily "You're here even if it fails."  
>"Actually what I was gonna say was if it fails, you'll be missing out on never seeing this handsome face again." he said in a somewhat failed attempt at humor. Natara, mainly put of nerves, gave a shaky laugh but still scowled at him. She followed the sound of the doctors footsteps as she was given a hospital gown to dress in, which she did so behind a curtain, and was helped onto a bed. She didn't even know when the IV was coming but didn't even feel it go in. By the time it was in, Natara didn't even have time to worry. She was already to drugged-up to care and was asleep in seconds.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry, ridiculously short.** _  
><em>**Reviews make my day, thanks everyone :)**

_"It's sad that, in our blindness we gather thorns for flowers"_  
><em>-Unknown<em>

Natara was awake, but groggy. She wanted to open her eyes, but was afraid to find out if it had worked. She also knew she had bandages on her face, and honestly didn't want the first time, if she saw, to be gauze. She heard the door open, Mal's voice calling "come on Nat, I know your awake. They said you can take the bandages off now." He didn't ask if it had worked, assuming she had opened her eyes. She knew he was preparing himself for the worst, that she had lost the ability to see even simple shapes in the darkness. "Nat, even if it doesn't work I'll always be here."  
>Bracing herself, he pulled off the bandages. She opened her eyes, and saw bright sunlight. Mal's semi-smiling face. The white color of the room. But it was wrong, it was blurry. Lines were fuzzy and colors faded into each other. "Well?" asked Mal, looking hopeful.<br>"It's blurry" she said sadly.  
>"It's because you need glasses now Nat" he was still smiling "But at least you can see. And maybe the FBI will make an exception for the vision test if you get contacts."<br>"You think I'm going back there?" she said "They dropped me the day after I lost my vision. I'm staying here whith someone who didn't abandon me."  
>"That's me, isn't it?" asked Mal. Natara nodded. "Good, then I promise I won't tease you that bad for your glasses four-eyes."<br>"Oh wonderful. More Mal sarcasm." she said sarcastically, smiling.  
>"You know you love it."<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Epilogue

_"If eyes were made for seeing, then beauty is its own excuse for being" - Ralph Waldo Emerson_

Natara kept her face hidden, nervous about the new addition to her face.  
>"Come on Nat, it can't be that bad" said Mal, who had so kindly gone with Natara to the eye doctor the morning before she would return to work. This time, for a permanent basis. She had called the day before and left the FBI, a decision she knew was right but still felt impulsive for rushing into her resignation. "Yes it is" she said. She looked in the mirror at her new bespectacled face, the round frames partially obscuring her eyes as they flashed in the florescent lights.<br>"Come on, usually by now you'd have said some smart comment like 'oh, well statistics show glasses-wearing people show more likely to have the affect on people where they are lead to believe they have a hightned IQ…" he said, mocking a girlish tome. Natara scowled, turning to Mal so he could finally see her face. "Oh, I was right. You do look smarter. I thought you said you were a nerd in high school."  
>Natara couldn't help but smile "Good memory. That was true, I might have been a nerd, but I was a hot nerd."<br>"You still are"  
>Blushing, she reached over and kissed her boyfriend lightly on the cheek.<p>

**The very Maltaraey (I have now named that as an adjective) ending was a request by 'A bit of a nerd'. I usually don't write in a very 'girly' way, my romance scenes are always a fail, so sorry if it sucked. Also, to 'A bit of a nerd' again, you can say you've inspired someone because I was gonna end it, but now I included a little Maltara, (for the first time). This is honestly my first semi-romantic Fanfic, unless you count 'Goodbye Jacob', which contains a little Maltara**.


End file.
